Platen for printing and addressing machines



July 25, 1933. c. c. McCAlN PLATEN FOR PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINESFiled Feb. 25, 1929 2- sheetsesheet 1 July 25, 1933. c. c. McCAIN1,919,958

PLATEN FOR PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 25,1933 l r PA T OFFICE CECIL c." MCCAIN,or" GLEN mu InLINoIs,--assIG1\Toa cro nnnnnssoennrncoivrrnm;

or WILMINGTON; DELAWARE, A; oonronnrron or DELAWARE I PLA rEn lron memeAnn. nnn anssine ACHINES Application filedFebruary 25,' 1f1929. SerialNo. 342367;

This inventionrelates'to platens forprintingand addressing machinesandfithas for its object generally to provide-a novel and simplesectional platen I for repetition print- T ing of all or; a certain partofa printing form, or for alternative printing of parts' of the form.

The invention is. applicable, for example,

to, an addressing machine for making printing impressions from printingdevices which are run through the machinerone at a time. A simpleembodiment of these printing devices comprises a formfor printing ainameand a city and state address in two lines one above the other. Many ofthese printing devices are provided with forms for street addresses andfor a variety of other information but the simple form willbbe"sufficient to illustrate a useof the invention It may be desired toprint only the name,-, or only the address, of all of such simpleprintking devices, or itlmay be desired toprint the namei'and the ,addressendlto end on the same line for listing or other purposes. I have foundthat-this can beeasily accom plished and produce entirely satisfactory;printing impressions by providing :asectional platen which is adaptedto.have one or the other section or both sections set for set foralternative printings vide novelfand. simple shifting means for.

causing the platen sections to operate auto-n of a printing form. x

matically in successionjupon different parts And a further object ofgthei li longitudinally. movable in the platenhead to providenovelandsimplemeans. for de; tachably securing the cushion plates of the. platento the platen blocks. x f

The invention can be embodied witha reciprocating platen or Stamper arm.as shown for example in Patent No. 1,681,525, patented August 21, 1928:;or'it can befembodi'ed with a spring or'snapping platen and with areciprocating or-fixed. platen or stamp'er" arm as disclosed in theapplication ofHenry -E. Hubbard, Serial No. 341,935 filed 'Febru ary 23,1929, but I have chosen to illustrate; itjvith a fixed platen or;stamper. arm as a.

repetition printing or to i have the sections pressedball 21in the headis arranged to 9 selected embodiment of-the invention, and referring tothe accompanying drawings Fig. l'is a side elevation with the platen nprinting position;

F ig, 2 is a-front elevation. -F ig.-r:3 is a top plan View of theplaten as shown-in Fig. 6. i a I Fig. 4 is a .sectionalview on the line4 -4L i of Fig; m

A Fig. '5 isv a sectionalview on the line 5-5 to ofFigfi. j 1 1 ,Figs.6,- 7 and 8 .are end views, showing different positions of'the platensections. lieferring to the drawings 9 isa fixed platenorstamper arm ofan addressing mas chine in which printing devices are fed one at a time.to printing-position, but so far. as the present invention isconcernedit might "justas well be a reciprocating arm. A supportfortheplatenwhich is shown-in the form of a rocker 10is pivotally mounted at11 on'the platen arm' and is adaptedto be controlled by means 112connected with selec-- tor mechanismon themachinezwhich causes theplaten to operateor not lto operate in. accordance with lwell'understood 1 practice. The platen comprises a skeleton head .13:

fwhich is secured onthe support by a.=holding screw bolt .14; and I .ismaintained in proper position by adjusting screws .15. There aretwoplaten blocks 16,17 movably arranged sideby. side on-the plateniheadand they are provided at their ends with cam surfaces 16, These blocksare yieldinglyheld in thehead by springs 18 which are attached on theblocks. A shaft =19 is rotatably and and-it has tWogrooves-QO, 20. Aspring:

engage'either groove to retain the shaft in adjusted position. Gams22,22 are fastened v.onthe shaft 19 to engage the cam surfaces 16,,17f= andashifter 23 is rigid 011 the. shaft and may bem'ade integral with the M122, A.

as shown, and carries tworrollers. 24,-:24. z A tripper 25ris pivotedatf25f on platen arm'.\ 9 and it carries. a. pin. 26 which projects.through. an :arcuate slot in the arm and carries a"- washer. 28 whichoverlaps the slot.

s5- at their ends to pins on the head andto pins A spring 29 is attachedat oneendto the I pin 26and at its other end to a pin 29' on platen arm9 at the right of pin 26, Fig. 1.

A spring 30 is attached to the pin 26 and to a pin 30 on the platen arm9 at the left of pin 26, Fig. 1. The tripper hangs freely from its pivot25 but is heldnormallyin centered position by the springs 29, 3O anditis provided at the bottom with a foot 31 and a recess 32. By'adjustingthe shaft longs tudinally the shifter will be moved into operativerelation "with the tripper for alternative printing or out ofoperativerelar tionwith the tripper for repetition printing.

Each platen block 16, 17 is provided with a.

longitudinal. 1'ecess'33 to receive a removable plate 34 which has acushion facing 85. The

plates are detachable so that they can be easily replaced wheneverrequired. Spr ngpressed. retainers 36 carried by the platen blocks 16,17 are provided'withheadsfl'f' to engage keyhole slots 38 in the plates34.

i The heads87 are adapted to enter the keyhole slots when the plates arearranged in the longitudinal recesses 33 in 1 the platen blocks. Theheads and thej walls ofthe keyhole slots are beveled toelfectinterlocking engagement of the heads with the plates when the.plates are moved length'wiserelative to the platen blocks'so that theplates will be held snugly in place, on the blocks.

The plates are provided with handles 34 tov facilitate attachment anddetachment with the blocks,

partly formed in platen-block 17 to look'the shifter inposition-when theshaft and shifter are-adjusted for causing eitl er or both of;

the platens to operate.

Assuming that the invention is embodied? in an addressing machine and'apluralityof. printing devices having two line printing forms arefeedingthrough the machine, and it is desired to print onlyacertainli'ne of" the form, ,the shaft -19 wi1l be adjustedlongitudinally f. to move thei shifter out ofoperative relation to thetripper, and will also be adjusted rotatably to position the platensection for making a printing im pression from the particular; lineform.

Then the machinewill operate inthe usual manner for printing only the:011611118101 which the platen section is set from each of the printingdevices feeding through the machine; and this printing operation may Ybe controlled by selector mechanism as com monly embodied n addressingand printing machines. If'it is desired to print from the other lineform-of the printing devices the shaft will beturned to cause the camsto "set'the other platen sectionin operative position, Fig. 7.- If it isdesired to print The shifter has an arm 39,.which carries a detentLO-adapted to engage a liecess 41 in the end of platen block 16,21.recess" 42 in the end of platen block 17, or a recess 43 partly formedin platen block 16 and from both line formsof the printing devices thecams willbe adjusted to hold both platen .sections in operativeposition, Fig. 8. The v detent is engaged with the recess 11, the

recess 42 orthe recess 43 to hold the shifter in. adjusted position, asindicated in Figs. 6,-8. If-it is desired toprint the two lineformsendto end on the same line on the sheet, two printingfloperationswill be necessary and the printing devices or the sheet or. both must.be shifted; accordingly, but this forms no partfof the presentinvention.

However it is necessary to provide forautonatically shifting theprinting sections alternatelyintoand out of printing position .as'indicated, for example, in Figs. 6 and 7, and the shaft 19 is adjustedlongitudinally to position the shifter fOT'OPBI'BilVG engage mentwithIthe tripper, Fig. 2. Then the shaft issetrotatively to adjust thecams forcausing one or the other platen section toprint first, as shownfor example in Fig. 6. i This adjustment; will be convenlently made withthe platen in lowered position. When the platen rises the shifter willengage and jbe shifted bymthe tripper to its other "position", asindicated in Fig. 7 with the other printing section in operativeposition. On the printing "stroke of the platen this other platensection will make the printingimpression. On the return stroke oftheplaten the shifter will again engage and beshifted by the trippertoits first positionFig.- 6. 7 hen the shifter is in the position shownin I Fig. 6 and the platen rises the'roller 24 will engage the inclinedportion'pf the shoe 31-andv travel thereon into the recess 82. f Thiscauses the shifter .to swing tothef'position'shown in Fig. 7.

When the platen risesagain with the shifter positioned as shown 'in Fig.7 the roller 24 V will engage. the recess in the tripper and swing theshifter to the position shown in Fig. 6. The tripp'erf swingson itspivot to .permit' and to effect these shifting movements of theshifter'b'ut, when the shifter moves out of contact with the tripper thelatter is immediately centerediby the springs 29,30 for thenextoperationl It will be jreadily understoodi that in this operation jas-well as in addressing and printing machlnes of many lands, and lreserve the right to make all such adaptations and to {make any changesin the invention that may be-necess'ary or desirable within the scope ofthe following claims.

machines comprising a p rately operable sections, meansfor holding 1'. Aplaten foriprintingsand addressing machines comprising a plurality ofseparately operable sections, means for movingsaid p sectionsautomatically intoandout of printing position, and means for lockingsaidsections in printing POSltlOIl and rendering said moving means.inoperative. a

2. A platen for .printing each section out of'printing position, meanscomprising a cam adapted to be adjusted for.

' holding a selected] section in printingxposi tion, and means forlocking saidi cam; after adjustment thereof. I q I l 3. A platen forprintingand'addressing machines comprisinga plurality of sepa ratelyoperable sections, yielding means for.-

holding each section out of printing posi- 7 tion, a cam device, meansfor adjusting the cam device for holding "a selected: section inprinting position, andmeans for locking said cam device in adjustedposition.

V 4; A platen for printing and addressing machines'comprising aplurality of separatep lyoperable sections, means for holding each I Ysection out of printing position, a cam dely operable sections, meansfor holding each, section out of printing pos1t10n,--'a camdevice,meanscomprising ashifter foradjust- 7 ing the cam device for holding aselected sec tion in printing position and means, for looking said camdevice in adjusted position. L j 6. A platen for printing and-addressingmachines comprising a plurality of separately operable 1 sections, meansfor holding each section out of printing position, and means I sections111 pr ntlng posltlon 1n rotation and comprising a rotatablymovable'shaft,acam on said shaft, ashifter on said shaft adapted to beadjusted for causingth'e'camto hold a selected section inprintingpositiomand means for locking said shifter in: ad ustedposition. 7 I j f 7. A platen for prlntmg and addressing machinescomprisinga plurality, of separately operable sections, means forholding each section out of printing position, a cam device, a shifterfor adj ustingsaid-eam to hold a selected sectioninpr inting. positlon,a tr1pper for operatingsaidadjustlng means, and means for holding saidshifter in operative. relation with said'tripper.

section out of printing: position, acam de-.

vice, a shifter,a tripper for automatically operating the shifter toadjust the cam deand addressing ura lity of sepa- -V 8. A platen forprinting-andaddressing s vice for. operating the platen sections finrotation, and means for moving the shifter machines comprising apluralityof separately operable sections, means for holding each sectionout of printing position, shiftable means for holding a section inprintingposition',--a tripper adapted to operate said shiftable meansautomatically for holding said sections in operative position in rota-"ition, and means for moving the shiftable means to and fromoperativerelation with the tripper."

1 I 10. A movable platen for printing and addressing machines comprisingaplurality of separately: operable sections, means for holdingeachsection out of printing position, shift-able means movablegbodily withthe, platen, a (relatively fixed tripper a-"for a ad usting' saidshiftablegmeans to holdsaid sections in printing position in rotation,vand means for moving the shiftable-means to and r from operativerelationwith thetripmachines comprising, a plurality of sepa- 'ratelyoperable sections, means for holding each section out of printingposition, shiftable means supported on the head and a tripper foroperating said shiftable means, means for movlng the shifter to andfromoperatlverelation with the tripper, and

positions relative to said tripper.

head adapted to be adjusted forholding said comprising two spacedrollers, a tripper,

said platen head and tripper being relat1ve-- ly movable, and saidrollers and tripper being adapted 'to engage for operating the shiftablemeans.

' 13. Aplaten for printing and addressing machinescomprlsinga platenhead, a plurallty of separately operable'platen sections in the head,means for holding each section out of printing position, shiftable meansfor I holdingsaid sections in printing position in er. 1 I 7' 9. LAplaten for printing and addressing 3 to and fromoperative relation withthe triper. 1 11. Aplaten for printing and addressing adapted to beadjusted for-selectively holding the platen sections in printingposition, a

vmeans for retaining the shifter in adjusted V rotation, and a tripperfor operating said shiftable means, said shiftable means com prising apairof spaced rollers-and said tripper comprising an inclined edge and arecess for engagement with said rollers to operate the shiftable means.v v

14. A platen for printing and addressing machines comprising a movablehead, a plurality of'separately operable platen sections ingly heldtripper pivotally mounted on the 7 support, saidshiftablemeansscomp'rising a pair oi spaced rollerspand said tripper IC'OIH-rising an inclined edge and a recess arrangedin the vpath ofmovement'oi' said rollersi'or operating the'shiftable means. I

15. A platen for printing and addressing machines comprising a pluralityofsep'aratelye operablesections, means for holding each section out ofprinting position, shiftable means adapted to be adjusted for holding aselected section in printing position, re-- cesses in the ends of saidsect ons, and a detent on the shiftable means for engaging saidrecesses.i i

ratelynoperahle sections, means for holding each sectlon outofprlntlngposition', means for moving saidsections into printing posiremote tion, and means for selectively locking either or "both'of saidsections in printing position. A platen for printing andaddressingmachines comprising aplurality of separately operablesections, means for holding L,

printing positiomand means for locking said cam in adj usted'positions.18; A platen-for printlng and addressing maclnnes comprising twosections having "cam surfaces thereon, means for holding each sectionout of printing position, a cam operable on said cam surfaces for movingeitherorfboth-of saidsections into printing position, each of saidsections having a pocket therein, said sections having recesses i Itherein adapted to be moved into operative V 16. A platen forprintlngand addressingmachines comprising a plurality of se parelation toprovide another pocket, and means-inovablevith said camto be selectivelypositioned at saidpockets to hold said cain in adjusted positions.

CECIL c. MCCAIN.

